'Bobby' shoots onto shelves this week
By Bruce R. Miller Journal staff writer | Posted: Sunday, April 08, 2007
Nobody has made a movie about the Iowa caucuses. Yet.
But that doesn't mean there isn't fodder in politics. From "The Manchurian Candidate" to "Primary Colors," films have emerged from the campaign trail. Among the best: "Bob Roberts" and "The Candidate." Peeling back the facade, those films show what really lurks behind the firm handshakes.
Now, director Emilio Estevez has taken a look at Bobby Kennedy's run for president. It's interesting. But it's more about the people on the fringes than it is the man in the title.
Estevez doesn't detail the life of the one-time presidential candidate. He uses him merely as a vehicle to tell a dozen different fictional stories about people staying at the Ambassador Hotel the night Kennedy was assassinated.
It's a viable approach -- not unlike Arthur Hailey's "Hotel" or "Airport" -- but it misleads. Kennedy is here in film clips, not character. We follow, instead, a young couple (Elijah Wood and Lindsay Lohan) about to marry, a hotel executive (William H. Macy) cheating on his wife (Sharon Stone) with a receptionist (Heather Graham), a wealthy pair (Helen Hunt and Martin Sheen) looking for love, a faded singer (Demi Moore) struggling with alcoholism and various employees just looking for something else.
Because scenes were shot in the real hotel (and because the costumes and makeup are pretty exact), "Bobby" has the feel of importance. Occasionally, it's even entertaining. But frequently we feel like we're left in the kitchen when we should be in the ballroom.
Only a subplot involving two campaign workers seems worth the time it steals. The rest is just vamping until the main attraction.
When Estevez gets to the assassination, the element of surprise is missing. Some pretty bold over-acting occurs and the scene in the hotel's kitchen looks like it was created merely to duplicate a photo.
Freddie Rodriguez as the waiter who held Kennedy is probably the film's biggest asset. He doesn't overdo the emotion (as Stone does) or filibuster (as Anthony Hopkins and Harry Belafonte do). He just plays a character and rises to the occasion. His is a neat moment that should have been one of many.
Had Estevez -- the writer -- done more homework, he might have gotten better stories than the ones concocted. Most of these are the stuff of TV miniseries and "very special" "Love Boat" episodes.
There's a good story to be told about the life of Robert Kennedy. "Bobby" ain't it.
Also this week:
TV: "The Batman," season three; "Foxworthy's Big Night Out"; "Scooby-Doo Where Are You," season three; "Teen Titans," season three.
Film: "The Aura"; "The Doris Day Collection"; "Major League: Wild Thing Edition"; "Payback"; "Phantasm"; "Phantasm III"; "Shanghai Surprise"; "Sleeping Dogs Lie"
But that doesn't mean there isn't fodder in politics. From "The Manchurian Candidate" to "Primary Colors," films have emerged from the campaign trail. Among the best: "Bob Roberts" and "The Candidate." Peeling back the facade, those films show what really lurks behind the firm handshakes.
Now, director Emilio Estevez has taken a look at Bobby Kennedy's run for president. It's interesting. But it's more about the people on the fringes than it is the man in the title.
Estevez doesn't detail the life of the one-time presidential candidate. He uses him merely as a vehicle to tell a dozen different fictional stories about people staying at the Ambassador Hotel the night Kennedy was assassinated.
It's a viable approach -- not unlike Arthur Hailey's "Hotel" or "Airport" -- but it misleads. Kennedy is here in film clips, not character. We follow, instead, a young couple (Elijah Wood and Lindsay Lohan) about to marry, a hotel executive (William H. Macy) cheating on his wife (Sharon Stone) with a receptionist (Heather Graham), a wealthy pair (Helen Hunt and Martin Sheen) looking for love, a faded singer (Demi Moore) struggling with alcoholism and various employees just looking for something else.
Because scenes were shot in the real hotel (and because the costumes and makeup are pretty exact), "Bobby" has the feel of importance. Occasionally, it's even entertaining. But frequently we feel like we're left in the kitchen when we should be in the ballroom.
Only a subplot involving two campaign workers seems worth the time it steals. The rest is just vamping until the main attraction.
When Estevez gets to the assassination, the element of surprise is missing. Some pretty bold over-acting occurs and the scene in the hotel's kitchen looks like it was created merely to duplicate a photo.
Freddie Rodriguez as the waiter who held Kennedy is probably the film's biggest asset. He doesn't overdo the emotion (as Stone does) or filibuster (as Anthony Hopkins and Harry Belafonte do). He just plays a character and rises to the occasion. His is a neat moment that should have been one of many.
Had Estevez -- the writer -- done more homework, he might have gotten better stories than the ones concocted. Most of these are the stuff of TV miniseries and "very special" "Love Boat" episodes.
There's a good story to be told about the life of Robert Kennedy. "Bobby" ain't it.
Also this week:
TV: "The Batman," season three; "Foxworthy's Big Night Out"; "Scooby-Doo Where Are You," season three; "Teen Titans," season three.
Film: "The Aura"; "The Doris Day Collection"; "Major League: Wild Thing Edition"; "Payback"; "Phantasm"; "Phantasm III"; "Shanghai Surprise"; "Sleeping Dogs Lie"
Story Comments
Read More and Post Comments 0 comment(s)
Please note: The following are comments from readers. In no way do they represent the views of The Sioux City Journal or Lee Enterprises. We will not edit or alter your comments, but we do reserve the right to not post or to remove comments that violate our code of conduct. No comment may contain potentially libelous statements; obscene, explicit or racist language; personal attacks, insults or threats. Terms of Service
